Beastmen Love-Chapter 195: The Guards’ Tournament - Part 2

*Note from the author: If you read ’Something Beastman’ (for example, Wolf Beastman, Eagle Beastman, etc.), it is because they’re not shifted. If you read only the name of the creature (for example: Wolf, Eagle,Bear..) it is because they’re shifted into their beast form. Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and sending gifts. You’re the best readers I could ever ask for! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

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Galion called for two names, and they got up to the platform. It’s a Bear Beastman against a Wolf Beastman. The Bear Beastman is clearly bigger than the Wolf Beastman; both have 3 marks, and are ready to attack and circle each other.

It’s the first fight, so they need to save their energy and want to finish quickly. The Bear Beastman starts to walk and forces the Wolf Beastman to move around because he knows he has more physical strength than the Wolf Beastman.

The Wolf Beastman moves but keeps his attention on the Bear Beastman’s legs, knowing his best chance is to be smarter and faster. The Wolf Beastman pretends he will attack, and then the Bear Beastman steadies his stance, but when he does that, the Wolf Beastman circles him to attack on his back because he couldn’t move as fast to avoid the attack.

The Wolf Beastman grabs the Bear Beastman’s neck with his arms, then wraps his legs around the Bear Beastman’s arms, trying to keep it glued to the Bear Beastman’s body.

The Bear Beastman rolls on the ground, trying to remove the Wolf Beastman from him. The Bear Beastman uses his last strength to stand up, and then he throws himself on his back, hitting the Wolf Beastman on the ground instead of him.

The Wolf Beastman lost his air and strength a little and gave the chance to the Bear Beastman to untangle himself. The Bear Beastman grabs the Wolf Beastman by his legs and tries to launch him off the platform. The Wolf Beastman shifts midair and tries to use his claws to stop himself from falling outside.

The Wolf could stop right at the platform’s end, but then the Bear, now shifted, tackles him, and he falls outside the platform. Galion announces the Bear Beastman as the winner of the duel, and a round of cheering explodes.

Astri claps her hands, congratulating the winner and also who lost.

"I told you it would be nice to watch and learn. The Wolf Beastman was smart, but wasn’t counting that the Bear Beastman could be smart, too." Astri says.

"That’s true." Zin says.

The tournament keeps on going. It’s impressive to see that they have trained a lot and all of them are showing skills that is beyond what it’s normally seen on beastmen. All the participants already saw Astri fighting and how different it’s her style is, so they know that to be the best for protecting someone who is already strong, they need to go beyond with what they’re naturally good at, too.

The most impressive fight of the first category was a Centaur Beastman against an Eagle Beastman. The Centaur Beastman had 3 marks, and the Eagle had 5. On first sight, the Eagle Beastman had the clear advantage of being fast, capable of flying, and having more flexibility.

Centaur Beastman are seen as strong, but for the land beastman, they’re seen as incomplete beastmen because when they’re totally shifted, only half of their body is shifted into a body of a horse. Of course, Astri thinks that’s a complete bullsh!t because mermen are seen as special beastmen, and they also only shift part of their bodies.

The Centaur Beastman simply dodged the first attack from the Eagle, then grabbed the Eagle Beastman’s arms and pulled them up to his back, and kicked the back of his legs to make him kneel and feel a strong pain in his arms as it was about to break.

The Eagle Beastman gave up, and the Centaur Beastman helped him stand back on his feet, showing that he had great respect for his opponent.

"That was amazing." Hopin says, amazed by the Centaur Beastman.

"He was smart and strong. And most importantly, he was calm all the way." Claud says.

The others agreed with Claud. The finals of the first category were the Centaur Beastman against a Leopard Beastman. It wasn’t easy for both of them. They used all the strength and capacity they had because now they don’t need to save their energy for the next duel.

The Leopard used his agility and flexibility against the Centaur Beastman. The Centaur Beastman didn’t shift because he knew he couldn’t run long distances to avoid the attack of the Leopard. So he will shift only when the right time comes.

The Leopard growls as he circles the Centaur Beastman. The shifted Leopard has the capacity to run, changing his direction fast to cheat someone’s eyes, but the Centaur Beastman is very attentive, and is avoiding direct attacks even though he’s being scratched sometimes.

When the Leopard tried to attack again with his claws, the Centaur Beastman grabbed his wrist strongly and twisted it. The Leopard tries to bite the Centaur Beastman’s arm, but it was the opportunity the Centaur Beastman wanted. The Centaur Beastman punched the Leopard’s head strongly, which made him dizzy.

Now the Centaur grabs the Leopard’s head and lies his horse’s body on the Leopard. Pulling the Leopard’s head up and holding his body down made the Leopard lose his air and not being capable of fighting back, so he shifted back to show he gives up.

The Centaur stands up, sighing relieved and smiling happily because he realized he won. He looks at Astri, who was clapping her hands for him and smiling too.

"Gilliard wins. Gilliard is the champion of the first category. Gilliard will now have the chance to be Lady Astri’s guard." Galion announces.

Everyone clapped hands and cheered, but the other Centaurs watching were the ones who cheered the loudest. Galion asks Gilliard to dress and go sit with the other guards. The other guards welcome him, congratulating him on the victory.

Astri asks Skalven to bring Gilliard the first-aid kit so he can tend to his flesh wounds. Gilliard appreciates and accepts her gift whole heartily.

The second category tournament starts. And it was intense too, but it was faster than the first category because it had fewer contestants. The finals were between a Hawk Beastman and a Raven Beastman.

Their fight was mostly on the air, scratching and tackling each other on the air. But the Raven did something that he hadn’t done ever during the tournament. The Hawk hears Astri’s voice saying:

"Go, Ling! Go, Ling!"

Everyone got confused and even looked at Astri, but she was quietly watching from the ground. She was up and out of the platform she was because she couldn’t watch from her throne. She chuckles, impressed with the Raven’s clever strategy.

Ling, the Hawk, looked at Astri for a moment to make sure it was her cheering for him indeed, and that the opening for the Raven to grab his wings from up and hold his neck with the Raven’s long beak.

The Raven dives from the sky holding the Hawk, ready to smash him on the platform, but the Hawk shifts midway, knowing that if he gets a direct hit that way, he will be very hurt and would lose either way. The Raven stops and lands Ling on the ground first, and then shifts back, cheering happily.

"Drack is the winner and champion of the second category of the tournament. Now he will have the chance to become Lady Astri’s guard." Galion announces.

Drack dresses, and then he goes to sit with the other guards, too. He’s also welcomed warmly. Astri walks to the beastmen who lost, and then she makes rocks with a circular shape, and it has a Pegasus’ image carved on them, looking like medals. The medals floated to each of them, amazing everyone who was watching.

"Remember, my friends, it’s not because you lost that you’re weak and less valuable. You fought bravely, and I’m happy to know that our people have strong and great males to protect them. These medals will always have this color as long as I’m alive. It’s a gift from me to thank you for what you do for us." She says, and they thank her, thrilled by the gift, and bow to her in appreciation.

She bows to them too, and then walks back to her spouses.

"Now, the tournament is over. Please head back to your positions and homes peacefully." Galion announces and sighs relieved that everything is over, but soon the males who lost started to ask him when the next tournament is. "We’re not planning any other tournament for now. I’m not saying it won’t ever happen. Give us time to decide." Galion says and walks away to avoid more questions because he’s already tired of that crowd, and he also knows that he has more work to do with the new guards, too.